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OPEN
What would you do if you met your match?
Ailana Scott loves her husband. Ethan is a man she will do anything for, and Ailana’s sole mission in life is to make him happy and give him whatever he wants. But when a twist of fate interrupts the couple’s blissful existence, Ailana enters a state of confusion that has her questioning everything she feels when their fantasy finally becomes reality…
Rae Lamar delivers a short, provocative novella about finding your kindred spirit when you least expect it…even when you’re already in love.
Ailana Scott loves her husband. Ethan is a man she will do anything for, and Ailana’s sole mission in life is to make him happy and give him whatever he wants. But when a twist of fate interrupts the couple’s blissful existence, Ailana enters a state of confusion that has her questioning everything she feels when their fantasy finally becomes reality…
Rae Lamar delivers a short, provocative novella about finding your kindred spirit when you least expect it…even when you’re already in love.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2010
3 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Rae Lamar
9 books27 followersRae Lamar is a mild-mannered consultant by day and fiction writer by night who calls Atlanta home. On a perfect day, she can be found on the top floor of a swanky beach resort, sitting on the balcony of an ocean-front suite with a book in her hands and food at her fingertips.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 15, 2016
I’m giving this book 3.5 stars simply because it was so thought provoking. It was a quick read with a lot packed into it. The story moved quickly and left a lot of questions unanswered. While the writing was interesting and made you want to continue reading there wasn’t a lot of detail to make it totally believable. Austin’s character was mysterious and it was not clear if Ailana and he had previous knowledge of each other before the start of the novel or if it was kismet. Key details were not included in the book (i.e. - what Ethan’s life was like before meeting Ailana, what initiated his views on sexuality, or how he and Ailana met) that would have helped the storyline flow better. Maybe these specifics were left out purposely to allow the reader to be open to the various possibilities.
I commend Rae Lamar for addressing the concept of open marriage and exploring sexuality in a different light. Even if you do not relate to the themes in the book, it definitely causes the reader to raise questions and take a look at non-traditional ideas of what love and marriage mean.
-Can a marriage survive when it’s open? Is love enough to sustain an open relationship?
-Where do you draw the line when bringing other people into your marriage…at what point does an open marriage become closed?
-Is it possible to fall in love with more than one person? Can you have only one soulmate?
-How far should you go to please your partner?
Ailana and Ethan have an uncommon relationship. It appears on the surface that the two have found in each other someone who allows the other to be themselves. They are open with each other and communicate their wants and needs and act as conduits to each other’s sexual desires.
In this book, Lamar doesn’t explore the reasoning Ailana and Ethan chose an open marriage or what events triggered them coming together in length. We are brought into the story as they bring in an outside sexual partner and the aftermath.
The irony of the book is that while in an open relationship one of the ways it is successful is by setting limitations that both parties are comfortable with. It is not clear what those boundaries were or specifically what Ailana and Ethan agreed was acceptable. The issues between the couple begin once Ailana stops being transparent with Ethan about her desires for fear of hurting him. Ailana’s love for her husband allows her to be open to acting out his fantasies. She ultimately ends up hurting Ethan satisfying her own desires while giving him what he wanted thereby exposing her true desires to him. Ailana and Ethan’s situation dispel the idea that openness in relationships eliminates the fear of losing a partner because in the end their openness is what causes them both fear of losing one another.
I commend Rae Lamar for addressing the concept of open marriage and exploring sexuality in a different light. Even if you do not relate to the themes in the book, it definitely causes the reader to raise questions and take a look at non-traditional ideas of what love and marriage mean.
-Can a marriage survive when it’s open? Is love enough to sustain an open relationship?
-Where do you draw the line when bringing other people into your marriage…at what point does an open marriage become closed?
-Is it possible to fall in love with more than one person? Can you have only one soulmate?
-How far should you go to please your partner?
Ailana and Ethan have an uncommon relationship. It appears on the surface that the two have found in each other someone who allows the other to be themselves. They are open with each other and communicate their wants and needs and act as conduits to each other’s sexual desires.
In this book, Lamar doesn’t explore the reasoning Ailana and Ethan chose an open marriage or what events triggered them coming together in length. We are brought into the story as they bring in an outside sexual partner and the aftermath.
The irony of the book is that while in an open relationship one of the ways it is successful is by setting limitations that both parties are comfortable with. It is not clear what those boundaries were or specifically what Ailana and Ethan agreed was acceptable. The issues between the couple begin once Ailana stops being transparent with Ethan about her desires for fear of hurting him. Ailana’s love for her husband allows her to be open to acting out his fantasies. She ultimately ends up hurting Ethan satisfying her own desires while giving him what he wanted thereby exposing her true desires to him. Ailana and Ethan’s situation dispel the idea that openness in relationships eliminates the fear of losing a partner because in the end their openness is what causes them both fear of losing one another.
December 19, 2013
Quixotic
Poor little Ailana. Her parents died when she was young and she lived with a great aunt that harbored a ton of ill towards her. Without any friends Ailana simply existed. It wasn’t until Aunt Helene passed away that Ailana’s life began.
Ethan Scott, a businessman, introduced Ailana to love. Married, they share a very adventurous marriage. While Ailana and Ethan are clear on what they want in their marriage, things seem to heat up when Professor Austin Clark enters the picture.
I picked OPEN because I thought the book cover was HOT! I’ve read a few of Lamar’s titles and while this one is too short for my liking, it does its job of entertaining the reader. It took a minute for me to fully understand the particulars, as it’s not really spelled out. In some respects, I feel like the hinting versus the saying may have been the missing oomph. Even still, a quick and good read.
Poor little Ailana. Her parents died when she was young and she lived with a great aunt that harbored a ton of ill towards her. Without any friends Ailana simply existed. It wasn’t until Aunt Helene passed away that Ailana’s life began.
Ethan Scott, a businessman, introduced Ailana to love. Married, they share a very adventurous marriage. While Ailana and Ethan are clear on what they want in their marriage, things seem to heat up when Professor Austin Clark enters the picture.
I picked OPEN because I thought the book cover was HOT! I’ve read a few of Lamar’s titles and while this one is too short for my liking, it does its job of entertaining the reader. It took a minute for me to fully understand the particulars, as it’s not really spelled out. In some respects, I feel like the hinting versus the saying may have been the missing oomph. Even still, a quick and good read.
May 8, 2011
Ball of Confussion
Ailana seems to have the perfect life, but when she opens Pandora's Box, she finds herself struggling with the decisions she has made.
When I read the synopsis of "Open" by Rae Lamar, I was ready to see where the words would carry me. Sadly, it didn't take me anywhere. The storyline of this book was weak and unbelievable. I'm a firm believer that adding SEX to a story won't hide the fact it needs more substance. "Open" had the potential to be a good read had the author taken more time developing the overall story.
Reviewed by: Orsayor
2.5 stars
Ailana seems to have the perfect life, but when she opens Pandora's Box, she finds herself struggling with the decisions she has made.
When I read the synopsis of "Open" by Rae Lamar, I was ready to see where the words would carry me. Sadly, it didn't take me anywhere. The storyline of this book was weak and unbelievable. I'm a firm believer that adding SEX to a story won't hide the fact it needs more substance. "Open" had the potential to be a good read had the author taken more time developing the overall story.
Reviewed by: Orsayor
2.5 stars
January 31, 2017
Excellent read
Excellent read, the storyline was interesting. Ailanna was in a very controlling relationship. She basically did everything her husband wanted. She loved her husband. But she wasn't in love with him. The ending was not typical for a romance novel, however, I enjoyed the book.
Excellent read, the storyline was interesting. Ailanna was in a very controlling relationship. She basically did everything her husband wanted. She loved her husband. But she wasn't in love with him. The ending was not typical for a romance novel, however, I enjoyed the book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews